[AJTheFishKid]

Hello everyone, You may know from my previous posts that I am redoing a 20g aquarium with DIY Co2 and Med/High lighting. I want to have a DHG carpet and I also want to upgrade my light so it would be able to make a DHG carpet. I am hoping for around 65 PAR at the substrate (16”). I’m considering some of the cheaper models such as the Beamswork DA 60 FSPEC, and some more of the expensive models such as the Finnex Planted Plus 24/7 HLC. I’m really not sure wich way to go. I feel that it’s unrealistic that a $40 light can have 68PAR at 16”. If that is true then it would be a no brainer for me to go with the beamworks. Anyways, do y’all know of any good lights for this setup? (Preferably in the sub $60 dollar range.) And do y’all think that the beamworks would work okay?

 

[minorhero]

Beams work will definitely give you at least 60 par. More likely 80 though. It is a very blue light so keep that in mind.

 

[AJTheFishKid]

Okay, I have seen that it has a purple tint to it but I think it would be hard to notice not being next to another aquarium. I still might go with the finnex though. It’s much better made from what I have seen and it has a lot of cool bells and whistles.

 

[jeffkrol]

Hello everyone, You may know from my previous posts that I am redoing a 20g aquarium with DIY Co2 and Med/High lighting. I want to have a DHG carpet and I also want to upgrade my light so it would be able to make a DHG carpet. I am hoping for around 65 PAR at the substrate (16”). I’m considering some of the cheaper models such as the Beamswork DA 60 FSPEC, and some more of the expensive models such as the Finnex Planted Plus 24/7 HLC. I’m really not sure wich way to go. I feel that it’s unrealistic that a $40 light can have 68PAR at 16”. If that is true then it would be a no brainer for me to go with the beamworks. Anyways, do y’all know of any good lights for this setup? (Preferably in the sub $60 dollar range.) And do y’all think that the beamworks would work okay?

Beamswork 6500k DHL 24" is your best bet for inexpensive.
You will shift from the cool tone of the DHL to a warm tone w/ the 6500k's
Unfortunately w/ the "normal" 6500k lights your colors will be more muted.
Problem you have is the small length not having room for lots of diodes. Well it's the design of the light .. only one or a few rows.

Finnex planted plus fugeray is also a bit in the running BUT not sure any hit 65 at 16".
As to aesthetics the 8000k/660nm/blue diodes have a nice look.
Unfortunately the Fugeray is a "dumb" light..

 

[bigtrout]

I switched from 2 beamsworks DA fspecs to 2 finnex ALC models. What a difference, much brighter, and better colors. The ALC also has lots of par and isnt terribly expensive. It is a 24/7 and has 660nm red diodes. Numbers given bu finnex show the 25 inch model with 68 [email protected] inches and 51 par @ 18 inches.
The plants in my 75 showed more growth, daily pearling, and more coloring for plants that get red since switching.

 

[Asteroid]

If you can do it buy the Finnex. Just for the programmable options well worth it, which are a big help by limiting peak hours and the rest dimmer viewing hours. Otherwise you might have to limit overall lights on to 4-5 hrs to deal with possible algae issues. Also if your going to carpet-level lighting your really going to have to be on top of your DIY co2 to avoid issues.

 

[AJTheFishKid]

Beamswork 6500k DHL 24" is your best bet for inexpensive.
You will shift from the cool tone of the DHL to a warm tone w/ the 6500k's
Unfortunately w/ the "normal" 6500k lights your colors will be more muted.
Problem you have is the small length not having room for lots of diodes. Well it's the design of the light .. only one or a few rows.

Finnex planted plus fugeray is also a bit in the running BUT not sure any hit 65 at 16".
As to aesthetics the 8000k/660nm/blue diodes have a nice look.
Unfortunately the Fugeray is a "dumb" light..

Could you send me the link to the light? I can’t find it

I switched from 2 beamsworks DA fspecs to 2 finnex ALC models. What a difference, much brighter, and better colors. The ALC also has lots of par and isnt terribly expensive. It is a 24/7 and has 660nm red diodes. Numbers given bu finnex show the 25 inch model with 68 [email protected] inches and 51 par @ 18 inches.
The plants in my 75 showed more growth, daily pearling, and more coloring for plants that get red since switching.

Yeah, I would probably get the hlc though, it’s less expensive

If you can do it buy the Finnex. Just for the programmable options well worth it, which are a big help by limiting peak hours and the rest dimmer viewing hours. Otherwise you might have to limit overall lights on to 4-5 hrs to deal with possible algae issues. Also if your going to carpet-level lighting your really going to have to be on top of your DIY co2 to avoid issues.

Yeah I’m gonna have to stay on top of the DIY Co2. It might not work out as planned, if not then I would have learned something.

 

[jeffkrol]

Could you send me the link to the light? I can’t find it

Yeah, I would probably get the hlc though, it’s less expensive

Yeah I’m gonna have to stay on top of the DIY Co2. It might not work out as planned, if not then I would have learned something.

Wrong size but check topdogsellers store on flea Bay .
Chinese stuff comes and goes with the tides.

 

[AJTheFishKid]

Wrong size but check topdogsellers store on flea Bay .
Chinese stuff comes and goes with the tides.

It seems that the Beamswork DA 60 FSPEC is more popular. I couldn’t find the other model you were referring to. The beamwork fspec should have enough PAR and it would probably be easier to find info on it too.

 

[jeffkrol]

It seems that the Beamswork DA 60 FSPEC is more popular. I couldn’t find the other model you were referring to. The beamwork fspec should have enough PAR and it would probably be easier to find info on it too.

Yea probably.. I did find a listing saying a 24" FSpec will give 90PAR at 12" if that helps.
and this thread helps..

Beamswork DA FSPEC and DHL 6500k PAR/LUX/Kelvin/PUR Data

Hi Everyone. So today I had the pleasure of being able to get par data for the Beamswork DA FSPEC LED and also the Beamswork DHL 30 6500K. I have one of each 30" and also 48". So for the Beamswork DHL and DA FSPEC 30" long lights test I used a 20 Gallon long tank. So from Light to sensor...

www.plantedtank.net

 

[AJTheFishKid]

Yeah, but it’s really about the depth you know. Sure it has 90 PAR at about 12” but it will go down to about 55 PAR 16”. Now with that being said I believe that these PAR readings were taken directly under the light. For a DHG carpet I’m pretty sure you need around 55 PAR. So if the light spreads out across a 20g that would be up too 12” and it would probably get down to something like 30 PAR. So that’s why I’m probably going with a better light. I would rather not risk it.

 

[jeffkrol]

Yeah, but it’s really about the depth you know. Sure it has 90 PAR at about 12” but it will go down to about 55 PAR 16”. Now with that being said I believe that these PAR readings were taken directly under the light. For a DHG carpet I’m pretty sure you need around 55 PAR. So if the light spreads out across a 20g that would be up too 12” and it would probably get down to something like 30 PAR. So that’s why I’m probably going with a better light. I would rather not risk it.

You can get decent carpeting w/ lower light and CO2 IF you get the CO2 to the bottom..
That said, nothing against better lights..

1 AI Prime at now $240 should do it.. but form is a mis-match.. rect. vs square.
By the time you adjust the height to be correct l/r you got 1/2 the front/back light outside the tank.
You'd be better off w/ 2 Beamsworks at $80..as to geometry..

That said 2 Stingray 2's... ect.

24x12x 16.. 16" isn't that deep.. but you will need about 40-50ish watts to push 50par to the bottom. or good optics..

wire in a tc-420 (421) and a bigger power supply watt wise and you can control each on its own channel

 

[AJTheFishKid]

Yeah, I do think a med/high light setup would look nicer for a carpet. When you say if I get Co2 to the bottom, how would I exactly do that? I’m planning on getting Aquario Neo Co2 Diffuser | NilocG Aquatics Amazon.com : Aquario Neo Co2 Diffuser Original (Medium) : Pet Supplies for a diffuser. I don’t really know how this kinda stuff works as I have never used Co2. Is it about the current of the water?
I really don’t want to spend over 100 on lighting so I’m pretty sure I’m going with the finnex planted plus hlc, it seems that it would work well in my setup and I love the 24/7 thing.

 

[jeffkrol]

First how to do ut without CO2.

How to grow carpet plants without injected CO2

Everyone loves carpets. But how can an aquarist grow carpet plants with no injected CO2? Read out to find out the challenges and how to overcome growing carpet plants without CO2 in your planted tank.

www.2hraquarist.com

Everything You Need To Know About Carpeting Aquarium Plants

As to getting the co2 to the carpet just a matter of flow direction . .see post #9

Water flow in the planted aquarium?

Hey all. I've noticed that over filtering, and good flow of water around a planted aquarium seems to be mentioned a bit in some of the posts I've been reading of late. I just wondered what is best. Is it just high water turn over, or is it specifically good flow around stems/substrate level...

www.ukaps.org

 

[AJTheFishKid]

After more reasearch I decided on the finnex alc because of the higher par, but now I saw the aqua sky 2.0 and tried to find some par data but couldn’t really. Does anyone know? Which one do y’all think would be the better buy?